Causes of the Civil War

The idea that the people should have power to make decisions separate from outside rule

Powers given to states that the federal government does not have the power to change

Election of President Lincoln that led to southern states seceding from the USA

Five bills passed by Congress to resolve arguments about what to do with new territories

A famous series of discussions in 1858 focusing on opinions about slavery and other issues

A law requiring captured slaves in any part of the USA to be returned to their masters

One group formally leaving a larger group

Overly-strong interest in local issues without a concern for more general interests

A very popular anti-slavery novel that increased interest in abolitionist causes

A law that added two new states and created a dividing line for new free or slave states.

A law creating new states and setting rules for determining if they would allow slavery

Court ruling saying that African Americans free or slave did not have the rights of US citizens